AN: Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. On with the show!

Chapter 7

Everyone was in place.

The dwarves had strategically been placed at various lookout points with arrows that catch fire in order to send up a flair when necessary. Once the queen was inside the palace the support of their army would surround it and the merry men, Regina, Snow and Charming and Red would invade and take down the queen with an additional squad to handle any guards.

Robin looked over at Regina, she looked to be in deep thought. He knew this must be hard for her the queen was evil but she was still her mother. Time to ponder this was cut short.

The flairs went up.

Everyone raced into action, Regina used a spell to transport them into the palace and bypassed the guards. Once they'd defeated Cora, the guards would no longer have cause to engage them. They would lay down their weapons in surrender.

A team of guards engaged them as soon as they appeared in the main hall. Charming, Red and Robin as well as half the squad engaged them as Regina, Snow and the other half went to find Cora. They searched the palace and found her in the room where she practiced her craft.

"Hello, dears. It's been so long since your last visit."

The others appeared behind them as Cora began to speak.

"Who's fault is that?"

"Regina, dear is that any way to talk to your mother? I wonder what you will think when little Nora grows up and speaks to you in that tone? No matter you'll be long dead by then and Nora will be the child I always wanted. Obedient."

"You will get nowhere near my daughter!" Regina hissed.

"I won't? Well we will see."

"Surrender now mother."

"It's over Cora." Snow said.

"Urg, you're just as rude as your mother was." Cora said in a bored tone.

She rose slowly from her perch and crossed the room towards her daughter. Everyone raised their weapons prepared to strike. "Stop right there." Robin said his voice dangerously low.

Cora eyed him and then turned her attentions back to Regina. "Honestly, Regina first a stable boy and now a thief? What could he possibly offer you?"

Regina crossed the room until she was standing tow to tow with her mother. "I don't want to talk about that now. I want to talk about you. I have one last chance for you. For your redemption."

Cora sneered at her daughter. "And what would that be?" She asked.

The others were very curious as well. Regina had told no one of this. It was only by chance she'd even found the object that could be her mother's salvation.

Her mother had been so wrapped up in speaking with her daughter and threatening her that she didn't notice Regina pouring a sparkling silver potion at her feet.

"Your heart." Regina whispered. Cora's eyes widened and she tried to move and attack or to speak some cruel words to her daughter but she was paralyzed she could not move.

It happened so fast the others barely saw Regina reach into her satchel and pull out a heart so black that there was almost no red left to see. Regina used all the strength she could muster and plunged it into her mother's chest.

The potion had worn off by now and Cora gasped in surprise and pain before collapsing to the ground. Regina caught her mother and the others while still holding their weapons lowered them and moved closer.

Cora opened her eyes slowly. She blinked. Once, then twice. She turned her head to look at her daughter who was clutching her closely. She smiled. A real true smile. Regina couldn't remember ever seeing her mother smile like that.

It only lasted a moment. Cora cried out in pain.

"Mother?!" Regina exclaimed. "Mother what's wrong?"

"My heart, it's too black. I've done too much. I'll die here." She said softly.

"I'll take it out again!" Regina cried moving her hand into position and trying to remember how she'd seen her mother do it before. Cora put her hand over her daughters, stopping her.

"No, Regina. I don't want to live as I did and if you take it back I'll go back to my dark ways. I'd rather die here and now."

Snow watched her sister and wished she could do something. Wished she could somehow make Cora live and ensure that she could stay intact with her heart.

Cora turned to Snow. "Oh, Snow. Oh I'm so sorry." She said.

"You have my forgiveness." Snow replied softly. Now was no time for grudges or hatred.

"Regina," Cora sighed. "I want you to know. This would have been enough. You would have been enough." A single tear ran down her cheek.

"Mother." Regina said crying softly. Cora turned her head once more. Towards Robin of all people.

"Take care of her." She said softly. It was a request, a demand and a seal of approval all at once. "I've caused her heart to break too many times. Don't let it happen again."

"I won't." Robin said surely.

There was no more talking. The dark queen had passed. Finding a bit of redemption as she did.

Regina clutched her mother's body to her chest and cried. She was only vaguely aware of her sister and Robins arms around her. She could not hear at all Charming saying that the battle had been won but the group inside the room required some privacy and they were not to be disturbed.

When she found out later. She was very grateful to her brother in law.

Later that night….

Regina stood alone in the mausoleum. She could slightly hear the music and mirth of the celebrations going on in the rest of the palace. The dark queen had died and joy was spreading through the land. Regina did not feel the effects of it. She'd taken her mother here to give her a proper burial and now stood looking at the face of the older woman. She appeared to be sweetly sleeping.

She heard footsteps approach behind her and didn't have to turn to know who they belonged to.

"You didn't have to come. You should be celebrating." She said.

"We couldn't celebrate. She was good in the end, her death is no cause for celebration." Snow said.

"We would never leave you alone at a time like this." Robin added.

"We're family. We help each other through these things." Charming concluded.

Regina smiled slightly and let a dry laugh out. "Just because I'm in mourning doesn't mean I've lost my reason. For many, her death is cause for celebration, for us even. If she hadn't gotten her heart back she'd have killed us or we her, I am aware of that."

"Knowing that doesn't make it easier." Snow said putting a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"I keep thinking on what she said, that I would have been enough. I'll never get the chance to see if that's true."

"It was Regina. I could see it on her face. It was true." Robin said.

"I suppose." Regina sighed softly she then looked up. "Where's Nora? And Roland?"

"With Red. She's trying to put them to bed but it's proving hard with all the ruckus." Robin replied.

"I should go cast a silencing charm on their room." Regina said.

"That can wait for now." Charming said. "You need time to gather yourself before you tend to anyone else. Let us take care of you."

"That's sweet Charming."

"Well you are my sister too now."

"I'll be fine, truly you don't need to worry. I just want to get some sleep myself."

"I'll stay with you tonight." Robin said. "In case you need anything."

Regina looked at him and nodded. They took their leave going to put the children to bed and after Robin held Regina all night as she cried and wondered what might have been.

The others should have rested too. They should have rested long and hard until they could rest no longer. None of them knew that they only had one short year of happiness until a curse darker than anyone could imagine would be cast upon them. Cast by the wicked witch of the West. Zelena. Cora's eldest daughter.